Political Quotes

“Mr. President, the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs provide critical innovation support to America's small businesses. While this program is celebrating 40 years in business, SBIR continues to be exploited by foreign adversaries due to lack of controls within the programs to prevent the transfer of new American technology to our adversaries. China has become one of the largest beneficiaries of the SBIR Programs because of the lack of adequate oversight. China and other foreign adversaries, like Putin's Russia, know this and have been establishing shell companies, acquiring beneficial ownership in American enterprises, selecting key awardee personnel for talent recruitment, and other state-directed technology acquisition. China has also infiltrated businesses known as SBIR mills that have won numerous grants. This is a clear national security threat and is wholly unacceptable. Serious and comprehensive due diligence reforms are needed to combat adversarial foreign influence in these programs and to protect our national security. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this effort. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.”